Hong Kong, China: Art Basel Hong Kong

Taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Art Basel brings together 242 premier galleries from 34 different countries under one roof. This year is the fifth edition of Art Basel Hong Kong and will feature 29 new galleries within the exhibition. The Galleries sector showcases art from 190 of the world’s leading Modern and Contemporary art galleries and you can expect to see paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, film, video and digital artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Paris, France: Art Paris Art Fair

Image credit: Art Paris Art Fair

Art Paris Art Fair is a four-day art extravaganza and brings together 139 galleries for 29 different countries at the Grand Palais. The fair will showcase European art from the post war period to the present day as well as international emerging art scenes. The 2017 edition of Art Paris Art Fair will see Africa as the guest of honour with a project that has been curated by independent cultural consultant and exhibition curator Marie-Ann Yemsi; this project will highlight the ‘richness and diversity of contemporary African creativity’. In order to support emerging talent and young galleries there is also a section called ‘Promises’ that is dedicated to young galleries that are under six years old. The 2016 fair saw over 52,000 visitors from 50 different countries so we can only imagine how many more will be in attendance this year!

London, United Kingdom: Do Ho Suh: Passage/s

This exhibition by Korean artist Do Hu Suh is a colorful, visual story of his life. In the opening room of his show he has stitched brightly colored mesh fabric together and recreated the doors and staircases of his past studio homes. As you walk upstairs to the second floor you will see doorknobs and fuse boxes that have been turned into fabric sculptures on illuminated lightboxes. Finally, once you reach the top floor, you will come across nine life sized recreations of Suh’s homes – there is a partial representation of his London home, his childhood home in South Korea, his home when he was an undergrad student in Province, Rhode Island and homes and studios in Berlin and New York. These recreations are made from stitched planes of translucent, beautifully colored polyester fabric and as you walk through them you ‘experience a distinct emotional register, a sense of being in flux, crossing boundaries and moving between psychological states.’ But you better be quick if you want to see it as the show finishes on Saturday 18th March!

San Bernardino, USA: Beyond Wonderland

Fall down the rabbit hole and experience a weekend of amazing music, incredible art installations and a whole bunch of other crazy things that can only be experienced at Beyond Wonderland. The festival takes obvious inspiration from Alice in Wonderland and invites its attendees to ‘embark on an adventure to the far side of the forest’. Beyond Wonderland of course has an incredible electronic music line up but there are also human-size white rabbits running around, a giant hookah smoking caterpillar, as well as other woodland creatures of all shapes and sizes to party with. The festival has six stages for each genre of electronic music and all of them definitely have an Alice in Wonderland feel to them, you can find out more info about each stage here. Beyond Wonderland is a crazy festival that invites you to escape everyday life and party in a magical wonderland that’s beyond your wildest dreams.

Warner Springs, USA: Desert Hearts Spring Festival

Image credit: Jacob Avanzato

Desert Hearts festival is 100 straight hours of ‘house, techno and love’ and takes place in the secluded desert of the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation in Southern California. It takes its inspiration from festivals like Burning Man and Lightning In a Bottle and its organizers are much more concerned about building up a community of Desert Hearts fans rather than creating a huge profit. The festival first began in 2012 amongst friends and attracted just 300 people, but since then it’s developed and grown into something much more, it’s a festival experience that thrives on creating a positive experience and energy for all who attend. We will warn you, there’s no mobile phone service at Desert Hearts but it’s the perfect opportunity to unplug and unwind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The festival is passionate about creating a community and a feel of togetherness within its attendees and does so by just having one stage – ‘One stage. One vibe. One Love’. If you’re looking for a festival that is filled love, positive vibes and great music then this is the one for you!